Mandevilla plant named ‘VOG 051’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘VOG 051’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; freely flowering habit; and dark greyed purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VOG 051’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘VOG 051’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia.The objective of the breeding program is to create new compactshrub-type Mandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractiveflowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2003,of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as codenumber X02.5, not patented, as the female, or seed parent withMandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,539, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australiain November, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings inMacquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since December, 2005, hasshown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in cultural practices and environment such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘VOG 051’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘VOG 051’ as a new and distinct Mandevillaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Strong stems.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dark greyed purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent, ‘Sunmandecrim’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plantsof ‘Sunmandecrim’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of        ‘Sunmandecrim’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have thicker stems than plants        of ‘Sumnandecrim’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrim’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ have crimson        red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants ofMandevilla hybrida ‘VOG 053’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,919.Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘VOG 053’in flower color as plants of ‘VOG 053’ have dark red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘VOG 051’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalopen flower and a flower bud of ‘VOG 051’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in one-gallon containers during thelate summer and autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall,Calif. under commercial production cultural practices. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 29.4° C., nighttemperatures averaged 21.1° C. and light levels ranged from 6,000 to7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched three times and were 10 monthsold when the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘VOG 051’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant            habit; vining; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm by 42 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit with about eight primary lateral branches            per plant; primary laterals with secondary laterals;            pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About            34 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; woody with            development. Color, young: Close to 144B. Color, woody:            Close to 199A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation,            close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 146D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to            146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in loose            and open racemes; racemes terminal and axillary; flowers            face upright or outwardly; freely flowering habit, about            four flowers per raceme and about twelve open flowers and            flower buds per lateral branch.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously            year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors in Southern            California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to seven days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; petals imbricate; petal apices reflexed;            flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 6.8 cm. Depth            (length): About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 7.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 187B to 187C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate with            reflexed apices. Petal lobe length: About 3.5 cm. Petal lobe            width: About 3 cm. Petal shape: Roughly elliptical. Petal            apex: Acuminate, reflexing. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface:            Close to 187A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface:            Close to 187B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 187A; with development, color towards the throat            becomes closer to 183A. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 187A. Tube: Towards the apex, close to            187B and towards the base, close to 145B. Throat: Close to            175C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower fused in a            single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:            Close to 145C. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Aspect: Upright to about 20° from vertical. Color: Close to            145B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Aspect: About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Color: Close to            146D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            150D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 9 mm.            Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 158A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.8 cm. Stigma shape:            Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 144C. Style length: About            2 cm. Style color: Close to 150C. Ovary color: Close to            144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘VOG 051’ as illustratedand described.